Stars to build performance center

Image: Chicago Stars FC

CHICAGO, IL–In a move to establish more permanent roots, Chicago Stars FC announced on Tuesday that they will build a new performance center in Bannockburn, approximately 28 miles North of downtown Chicago and a 30-minute drive to their 2026 home of Martin Stadium in Evanston. The 10-acre site is set to serve as the site for the team’s performance center and hub for all team operations and due to open in 2027.

“Today marks a historic moment in Chicago Stars FC’s history,” said Chicago Stars executive chairperson, Laura Ricketts. “This facility will set the standard in women’s professional soccer by providing the infrastructure our players need to develop to their highest level of performance. Our aim is for the performance center to serve as a point of community pride and a landmark asset that reflects our club’s identity. This new facility isn’t just an investment in the Stars, it’s an investment in the future of women’s soccer.”

The Stars partnered with global design firm Populous on the design. Populous was selected for the project because of the firm’s extensive work with the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) and their inclusive design approach to women’s sports facilities, including with the Portland Thorns and Denver Summit FC. The sustainably built performance center will feature two full-sized soccer pitches and a goalkeeper-specific pitch. The 45,000-square-foot adaptive re-use building will include intentional recovery modalities, weight room with easy indoor/outdoor access, and spaces designed to enable mindfulness.

An article in The Athletic mentions that club leadership was in consultation with a player liaison group on what they wanted to see in the performance center.

“Alyssa Naeher has been my North Star, in the sense that, Alyssa’s career has lasted throughout iterations of women’s soccer in the U.S. and she’s really the one to bring to life for me what it was like and what it needs to be like in the future,” said club president Karen Leetzow, who joined the Stars in 2023 after serving as the U.S. Soccer Federation’s chief legal officer. “Alyssa Naeher’s experience is really the female sports experience in this country, and you just want it to be better and better, all the time.”

The club’s operations will remain at SeatGeek Stadium in Bridgeview, where the team will train in 2026, as they prepare for their move to Bannockburn. As of now, the Stars have yet to announce their stadium plans beyond 2026, though they hope to move into a stadium of their own.